Four people were injured during a shooting in downtown Austin, Texas early this morning (March 20), Variety and Deadline point out. In an official press statement regarding the incident, Austin Police confirmed that at 1:59 a.m. authorities responded to shots fired in the 400 block of East 6th Street in the city’s entertainment district. Although the shooting took place on the final weekend of the 2022 South by Southwest festival, the incident did not take place at a SXSW venue or event, Deadline confirmed via a spokesperson. The four victims were transported to local hospitals to be treated for minor injuries. Earlier today, the Austin Police Department announced via social media that a suspect related to the shooting is currently in custody.
Today’s incident follows a similar event that occurred during SXSW 2019, when a shooting on 6th street left one person injured. That shooting took place near the center of activity for SXSW, but not at a specific event or venue. Hours later, another shooting took place just blocks away near 7th Street and Interstate 35 Frontage Road.
This year’s SXSW marked the return of an in-person event following a COVID-19-related cancellation in 2020 and 2021’s virtual iteration of the festival.
